Kyiv Targets Key Russian Radar, Crossing Kremlin's 'Red Line'

As reported by Ukrainian Pravda, based on information from Ukrainian intelligence, Kyiv was said to attack the long-range radar 29B6 in Mordovia. The targeted facility is part of the nuclear warning system. According to "Newsweek," such a move by Ukraine could mean crossing one of the so-called "red lines" outlined by Moscow.

The attack occurred on Wednesday, 17 April. Information from the Ukrainian Ministry of Defense states that its target was the radio-technical centre of military unit 84680, located in Kovylkino, Russia.

Radar 29B6 "Container", located in Kovylkino, is designed to detect objects at a distance of up to around 3,000 kilometres and at an altitude of over 100 kilometres. It was attacked using drones. This radar is an element of the reconnaissance system that warns of air attacks.

Last Wednesday, the Russian Ministry of Defense started shooting down a drone in this area. Artem Zdunov, the governor of the Republic of Mordovia, revealed that an unmanned aerial vehicle attacked a specific facility.

This is not the first time drones have been directed to Mordovia - they appeared there on 11 April. According to a report on Telegram by the Astra channel, the target was the same military facility. A building that had previously served as a command post was damaged during that attack.

Social media also featured a video of the attack, where the sound of an explosion can be heard, and smoke plumes can be seen. The distance from the border with Ukraine to the site of destruction is about 680 kilometres.

Newsweek points out that Ukraine's attack on the Russian early warning system could constitute a breach by Ukraine of one of the "red lines" set by the Kremlin.

The magazine emphasizes that if the radar was damaged, Russia could interpret this as fulfilling one of the conditions that could lead to the use of nuclear weapons specified in a decree of the Russian government. It concerns enemy actions affecting the Russian Federation's important state or military facilities, whose failure could disrupt the nuclear forces' response.

As "Newsweek" indicates, the destruction of early warning systems could potentially prevent the receipt of reliable information about the launch of ballistic missiles and the use of nuclear weapons or other types of weapons of mass destruction by enemies in the territory of the Russian Federation and the territories of its allies.

In 2019, the Russian Ministry of Defense claimed that the "Container" radar in Mordovia could track aircraft carrier launches in the Baltic, Black, and Mediterranean Seas. It was also supposed to enable the recording of hypersonic missile launches aimed at Russia.

Nuclear warning systems are advanced defensive mechanisms that detect and respond to potential nuclear attacks. They primarily use ground-based radars and satellite constellations to detect rocket launches, mainly intercontinental missiles and those launched from submarines. After identifying a potential threat, the system calculates the missile's trajectory and impact point to assess the threat level and provide early warning.